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St. Tammany Health System

Leadership

About us

St. Tammany Health System Leadership

It all started in 1954 with a vision of a healthier community. All these decades later, that vision hasn't changed.

The executive leadership team at St. Tammany Health System brings together a diverse range of experience and expertise, united by a shared commitment to advancing healthcare excellence on the Northshore. With a focus on quality, innovation, compassion, and collaboration, these leaders guide the organization in delivering exceptional care to the community it proudly serves.

Their leadership has helped position St. Tammany Health System among the most respected health systems in the region. In recent years, the organization has been named a High Performing Hospital by U.S. News & World Report in specialties like heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and pneumonia. It has received the Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award for 16 consecutive years, placing it in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for patient satisfaction. The Leapfrog Group has awarded STHS an ‘A’ grade in patient safety for 18 straight reporting periods—an achievement unmatched by any other health system in Louisiana. Additional honors include multiple Women’s Choice Awards for excellence in cancer care, heart care, obstetrics, and patient safety.

In 2024, St. Tammany was also recognized with the Joe D. May Excellence in Public Policy Award for its efforts to strengthen the healthcare workforce through the St. Tammany Academic Center. Most important of all, though, is the continued trust of the community that founded the hospital in 1954—and which still looks to St. Tammany Health System as the Northshore’s premier provider of healthcare.

Meet the Team

A closer look at the men and women at the helm of St. Tammany Health System (STHS).

Joan M. Coffman, FACHE

President and Chief Executive Officer

Joan M. Coffman, FACHE, serves as President and CEO of St. Tammany Health System (STHS), where she is known for advancing quality, safety, patient experience and operational performance. With a deep commitment to community well-being, she leads with a focus on delivering exceptional value in healthcare and improving quality of life across the Northshore.

Since joining STHS in 2018, Joan has led the organization to national recognition for excellence in care while expanding services throughout the region. She also launched the Healthier Northshore initiative—a collaborative effort to improve health outcomes, reduce disparities and promote wellness across the area.

Joan chairs the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board 7 and, in 2024, was appointed to Louisiana’s Committee of 100 for Economic Development. She also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Vizient Southern States, a regional alliance of not-for-profit healthcare providers.

Previously, Joan held leadership roles at Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), serving as President and CEO at both St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur, IL, and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls, WI. Her career began in New Orleans, where she served as CEO of the Louisiana Clinic and Assistant Administrator at Lindy Boggs Medical Center.

A New Orleans native, Joan holds an MBA from the University of New Orleans and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She actively supports healthcare workforce development through the St. Tammany Academic Center initiative in partnership with Southeastern Louisiana University and Northshore Technical Community College.

Jack Khashou, M.Ed, MS

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Jack Khashou is Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at St. Tammany Health System. He previously served as Executive Director of the St. Tammany Quality Network and Administrator of the St. Tammany Cancer Center.

With more than 20 years of healthcare leadership experience, Jack has held executive roles at Tenet Healthcare and Ochsner Health, focusing on hospital and ambulatory operations, strategic growth, and business development. At STHS, he has led major operational improvements and played a key role in expanding oncology services through partnerships with Ochsner Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Jack earned dual master’s degrees in Human Performance and Health Promotion and Health Care Management from the University of New Orleans, where he also completed his undergraduate degree. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Sandra DiPietro, MBA

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Sandra DiPietro brings more than 30 years of accounting and financial leadership to her role as Senior Vice President and CFO at St. Tammany Health System.

She began her career at International Shipholding Corp. and Ernst & Young before transitioning to healthcare finance in 1994. Since joining St. Tammany, she has advanced through roles from senior accountant to controller, and ultimately to CFO in 2014.

Sandra also teaches healthcare finance at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the University of Phoenix and serves as treasurer on the board for New Heights Therapy.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southeastern Louisiana University and an MBA from the University of New Orleans. Sandra is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Patrick J. Torcson, MD, MMM, FACP, SFHM

Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
Vice President, St. Tammany Quality Network – Clinical Integration

Dr. Patrick Torcson serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at St. Tammany Health System. A member of the STHS medical staff for over 20 years, he has held numerous leadership positions including Chief of Staff and Chair of Medical Care Services. He was also a founding member of the Department of Hospital Medicine and led the hospitalist program prior to becoming CMO.

Dr. Torcson earned his medical degree from LSU School of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Ochsner Medical Foundation. He also holds a Master of Medical Management from Tulane University.

Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Dr. Torcson was among the first to complete focused practice recertification in hospital medicine through the ABIM. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a Senior Fellow in Hospital Medicine.

Lori Sumner, MSN, RN, NEA-BC

Chief Nursing Officer

Lori Sumner serves as chief nursing officer at St. Tammany Health System, bringing more than three decades of nursing and healthcare leadership experience to the role.

Prior to joining St. Tammany, she served as chief nursing officer at Baptist Health Walker Hospital in Jasper, Alabama, and Baptist Health Princeton Hospital in Birmingham. She also held nursing leadership positions with HCA Healthcare and Lee Health System in Florida, advancing from progressive care staff nurse to nursing director, quality leader and associate chief nursing officer.

Lori holds a Master of Science in nursing from Walden University, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Nova Southeastern University and an Associate Degree in nursing from Edison Community College.

Christopher Ford, SHRM-SCP

Chief Human Resources Officer

Christopher Ford joined St. Tammany Health System in 2022, bringing nearly 20 years of HR experience in healthcare. As Senior Vice President of Human Resources, he oversees one of the largest workforces in the region and leads the system’s talent acquisition strategies.

A native of Indianapolis, Christopher is a Senior Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resource Management. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana Tech and is pursuing a Master of Jurisprudence in Labor and Employment Law at Tulane Law School.

Craig Doyle, MBA

Chief Information Officer

Craig Doyle has served as CIO of St. Tammany Health System since 2012, overseeing IT strategy, operations, and innovation. Prior to joining STHS, he was Division CIO for HCA’s Delta Division.

Craig is an active member of the healthcare IT community, serving on the Louisiana Healthcare Quality Forum’s HIT Committee since 2010 and participating in the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from LSU and an MBA with a concentration in Healthcare Management from Southeastern Louisiana University. He also serves on the board of St. Scholastica Academy.

Kelly M. Rabalais, FACHE

Chief Strategy Officer

Kelly Rabalais joined St. Tammany Health System in 2020, leading strategy and communications initiatives. Prior to joining the health system, she served as Executive Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer to former St. Tammany Parish President Patricia P. Brister, where she played a key role in developing Safe Haven, a regional behavioral health campus.

Kelly is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a Health Law Specialist certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, and Accredited in Public Relations by the Public Relations Society of America.

She earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from LSU and serves on the Louisiana State Bar Association Board of Governors.

Lesleigh Hall, FACHE

Chief Legal Officer

Lesleigh “Les” Hall is chief legal officer for St. Tammany Health System, where she provides strategic oversight of the organization’s compliance, legal and regulatory functions. 

A member of the health system since 2007, she partners closely with other members of executive leadership as well as the health system’s Board of Commissioners to strengthen operational integrity, manage risk, and ensure compliance with healthcare laws and accreditation standards. Her work has supported major system initiatives, including the expansion of pharmacy services and the effective stewardship of large-scale federal and disaster-recovery funding. 

Les holds degrees from Louisiana State University and the LSU Law Center, as well as a master’s degree in healthcare management from the University of New Orleans. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is board certified in health law.